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written by Freda Chan, Line Producer for Bardel Entertainment
View Letter of Recommendation PDF
written by Sabrina Kronk, Travel Manager for Vanderbilt University
View Resume PDF (*Updated September 16th, 2018)
Grant Whitsitt
Artist & Educator
grantwhitsitt@gmail.com
grantwhitsitt.com
731-695-4795
Software:
Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, After Effects, Storyboard Pro, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, Maya, and D2L.
Education:
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Animation (September 2012 - June 2016)
The Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, Georgia and Lacoste, France
-Graduated Magna Cum Laude; Relevant coursework: Screenwriting, Screen Design, Character Design and Storyboarding for Animation, 2D & 3D Production, Concept Development, Animation Layout & Character Design, Location Research, Sketchbook, History of Animation, Anatomy, Psychology, 20th Century Art & Literature
Experience & Films:
Middle Tennessee State University (Onsite: Murfreesboro, TN) (August 2023 - Current)
-Adjunct Faculty of Bodies in Motion, an introductory character design and drawing course for MTSU Media and Entertainment’s Animation School.
Game Stop (Onsite: Murfreesboro, TN) (August 2023 - Current)
-Senior Game Advisor (Shift Lead) responsible for selling titles relevant to the buyer, and providing information on deals through membership.
Freelance Artist (Remote) (July 2015 - Current)
-Responsible for creating designs and/or content for numerous clients; ongoing.
Bar Louie (Onsite: Murfreesboro, TN) (April 2023 - July 2023)
-Server at Bart Louie, navigating a fast-paced, efficient kitchen and working well with teammates to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion. Required skill in customer service to ensure all guests’ experiences.
Liberty Common (Onsite: Nashville, TN) (July 2021 - April 2023)
-Server at Liberty Common, navigating a fast-paced, efficient kitchen and working well with teammates to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion. Required skill in customer service to ensure all guests’ experiences.
Bardel Entertainment Inc. (Offsite / Remote) (April - June 2021)
-2D Animator on “Teen Titans Go!” (the software used for this project is Adobe Animate). I was contacted by my previous employer and asked if I could lend a hand toward production. Responsible for character/effect animation and checking in with supervisors to ensure scenes were exceeding expectations.
Dylan Smucker & The Hounds (Remote Freelance) (March 2021)
-Designer & Illustrator of merchandise.
The Savannah College of Art and Design (Remote Freelance) (September 2020)
-Invited to teach an installment in SCAD’s ”Guests and Gusto” Workshop series. In my workshop, “Accessible Animation: Simplifying Video”, I explain how anyone can start creating unique video content with common household supplies and a small software learning curve.
Behold The Brave (Remote Freelance) (May - July 2020)
-Director of “Peaches” (music video); responsible for all, including traditional animation, compositing, *most filming, editing, and design. (This project was created with a blend of physical mixed media, iPhone footage, and Premiere Pro software.)
Soul Train Sound Studios (Remote Freelance) (February - March 2020)
-Animator & Compositor on (project TBA) (the software used for these projects include Adobe Flash/Animate, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro).
Ryder Pierce (Remote Freelance) (March 2020)
-Photographer & Editor of promotional material (the software used for this project is Photoshop).
Boski (Remote Freelance) (November 2019 - April 2020)
-2D Animation and album artwork (the software used for these projects include Adobe Flash/Animate, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro).
Bardel Entertainment Inc. (Onsite: Vancouver, British Columbia) (September - December 2019)
-2D Animator on “Teen Titans Go!” (the software used for this project is Adobe Animate).
Copernicus Animation Studios (Onsite: Halifax, Nova Scotia) (October 2016 - September 2019)
-Storyboard Revisionist on Boomerangs’s “Care Bears”, responsible for revising Artists’ storyboards (and creating original boards from scratch to realign the story with the initial intention of the script) to meet the Director’s and clients’ collective vision for the series (the software used for this project was Storyboard Pro); 2D Character Animator on “Curious George” (the software used for this project was Toon Boom Harmony); 2D Animator on “Teen Titans Go!” (the software used for this project was Adobe Animate); 2D Character Animator on Amazon’s Emmy-nominated kids' series "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie", responsible for animating all characters (and some effects) in scenes spanning, typically, one-tenth of any given episode handed to me in the series (the software used for this project was Toon Boom Harmony); Freelance Layout Artist [productions TBA] (the software used for these projects was Photoshop).
Haefele Connect (Remote Freelance) (November 2018 - January 2019)
-Responsible for all illustrated and animated content for Haefele Connect’s holiday ads (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Toon Boom Harmony).
Maynard Man (Remote Freelance) (August 2018)
-Responsible for character illustration of the Maynard Man Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling’s logo mascot designed to be used for advertisements spanning web design, vehicle wraps, billboards, and Nissan Stadium screen ads during Tennessee Titans games (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Toon Boom Harmony).
The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor (Remote Freelance) (May - June 2018)
-Responsible for all character design and animation for The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor’s 2018 animated ad (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Toon Boom Harmony).
Seneca Film Festival 2018 (Remote Freelance) (February - May 2018)
-Responsible for all illustrated and animated content for the Second Annual Seneca Film Festival's animated ads and corresponding merchandise (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Toon Boom Harmony).
Tennessee Arts Academy (Onsite: Nashville, Tennessee) (July 2017)
-Instructor of one of the Secondary Visual Arts Core Sessions at the week-long, half-workshop/half-arts camp for Tennessee and surrounding areas' arts educators, held at Belmont University. During my sessions, I taught "The Chromatic Cycle", a narrative key designed to simplify the steps of the mono-myth. The goal was to provide educators a guide to helping art students answer the prevalent question, "What do I draw?" (or, "What is my story?").
University School of Jackson (Onsite: Jackson, Tennessee) (August - October 2016)
-Guest Teacher of the new Digital Tools course, and Substitute Art Teacher during the Fall 2016 semester. Two of the students went to SCAD’s School of Animation. Also invited to give speech at Art Honors' Society Annual Inductee meeting; topic was focused on how artists are keenly positioned to adapt to the Artificial Intelligence threat against job security.
307 Films (Remote Freelance) (September - October 2016)
-Responsible for all illustrated and animated content in the informational piece, "Birds and Baseballs" (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Adobe After Effects).
LowBrow Studios (Remote Freelance) (August - September 2016)
-Storyboard Artist on "WWE Story Time” (Season One, Episode Five: “Ribbin’ Ain’t Easy” - “The Perfect Prank”) (the software used for this project was Adobe Animate/Flash).
Augusta Magazine (Remote Freelance) (August - September 2016)
-Freelance Illustrator for the October 2016 Issue’s “Southern Sensibility” article by Karin Gillespie (the software used for this project was Photoshop).
“Jumpin’ Jack” by Grant Whitsitt (Onsite: SCAD Savannah, Georgia) (December 2013 - May 2016)
-Writer, Director, and Co-Producer of my student film at SCAD, “Jumpin’ Jack”, a Jazz Age-inspired animated musical tale about a short boy in a tall world who learns how to measure up on his own. In addition to writing the song, I also lead the band and sing in the original track, and was responsible for Storyboards, Character Design, some Background Design, and some 2D Character Animation. My co-producer, Catherine Andersen, and I managed a team of over sixty artists on the production to ensure all scenes were completed in a timely manner, without compromising quality. (The [visually based] software used for this project was Photoshop, Storyboard Pro, Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe After Effects, and Premiere Pro.)
Black Bear Studios / 307 Films (Remote Freelance) (July - August 2015)
-Responsible for all illustrated and animated content in the short documentary, "The Gentlemen Smugglers" (the software used for this project was Photoshop and Adobe After Effects).
“Scan the Horizon” by Jess Marfisi (Onsite: SCAD Savannah, Georgia) (February 2016)
-Responsible for some 2D Character Animation on Jess Marfisi’s student film at SCAD, “Scan the Horizon”. (The software used [on my end] for this project was Toon Boom Harmony.)
Personal Art Tutor (Onsite: Lacoste, France) (July - August 2014)
-Hand-selected by Paula Wallace, president and founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design, to tutor her son, Trace Wallace, in art. After my SCAD courses while studying in Lacoste, Trace and I would practice drawing techniques where I let him express his creativity in a supportive and fun environment. (Paula had selected me as tutor after reviewing the work of all the students’ from my drawing course.)
“Promethean” by Seth Gordon and Grant Whitsitt (Onsite: SCAD Savannah, Georgia) (March 2013 - March 2015)
-Co-Director/Co-Producer with Seth Gordon on his student film at SCAD, “Promethean”, inspired by a storyboard I created in my Screen Design course. I was also responsible for some 2D Character Animation and Background Design. (The software used [on my end] for this project was Storyboard Pro, Toon Boom Harmony, and Photoshop.)
Painting With A Twist (Onsite: Jackson, TN) (July 2013 - July 2014)
-Artist and Instructor responsible for teaching anyone how to paint while having fun doing it! Prepped for all parties, also having experience in Assisting classes.
Honors & Awards:
Series Awards - “Care Bears” (Halifax, Nova Scotia) (Responsible for Storyboard Revisions)
-"Best Animated Series" Nomination at the Fifth Annual Screen Nova Scotia Awards (2019). (The software used for this project was Storyboard Pro.)
Series Awards - "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" (Halifax, Nova Scotia) (Responsible for Character Animation)
-Daytime Emmy Award Nomination for "Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series" (2018); and "Best Animated Series" at the Fourth Annual Screen Nova Scotia Awards (2018). (The software used for this project was Toon Boom Harmony.)
Short Film Awards - "Jumpin' Jack" (Savannah, GA) (Responsible for all)
-My short film, "Jumpin' Jack", has received the following festival honors and inclusions: Seneca Film Festival 2018 (invited to do a Q&A); Best Score Award and Best Sound Design Award Nominee in the Focus International Film Festival; Finalist in Constantine's Gold Coin Film Festival; Chair's Selection Award at SCAD's 2016 Animation Showcase; Montreal's ANIMAZE International Animation Film Festival; Brooklyn's Animation Block Party; Princeton University Film Festival; Cartoon Club, the International Film Festival of Animation Cinema and Comics; Comedy Cluj International Film Festival; Anim!Arte's International Student Animation Festival of Brazil; Wirral International Film Festival; Hsin-Yi's Children Animation Awards; Siracusa International Ortigia Film Festival; Grand Rapids Comic-Con; Tahoe Underground Film Festival; Trenton's Art All Night Film Festival; and Fan Boy Film Festival. (The [visually based] software used for this project was Photoshop, Storyboard Pro, Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe After Effects, and Premiere Pro.)
SCAD Spring Arts Festivals (Savannah, GA) (May 2013, 2014, & 2015)
-Led teams three years in a row to win awards at each of SCAD’s Spring Arts Festivals:
—Received the Alumni's Choice Award and 2nd Place in the Best Relief category in SCAD's 2015 Sand Arts Festival.
—Received the 35th Anniversary Award in SCAD's 2014 Sidewalk Arts Festival.
—Received the Spirit Award and 3rd Place in the Best Castle category in SCAD's 2013 Sand Arts Festival.
Exposition des Etudiants (Lacoste, France) (August 2014)
-Selected to exhibit a body of work (The Human Experience) at SCAD Lacoste’s Summer 2014 Exposition.
Volunteer Work:
Charles P. Allen High School / Animation Career Exploratory Co-op Mentor (Onsite: Halifax, Nova Scotia) (November 2018 - June 2019)
-I was contacted by Fulton Rhymes, the Co-op Educator at the school, on behalf of one of his students, Laura Lima Nishida, who was seeking an opportunity to obtain a career mentor-ship in the Fall of 2018. While the Co-op was mostly comprised of advising (portfolio building, critiques, and submission/application etiquette), we were also able to turn around a few character model sheets and a story concept with them. Laura went on to win the Silver Medal in Skills Competence Canada’s 2D Character Computer Animation Competition in the Spring of 2019.
Union University (Onsite: Jackson, Tennessee) (September 2020)
-Invited by Rachael Camp to speak on “The Importance of Storyboards to Film Makers”.
Reel:
http://www.grantwhitsitt.com
References:
Available Upon Request